video transcript

EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL The U.S. Department of Defense makes an historic decision to lift the military's ban on women serving in front-line combat roles. The ban, put in place in 1994, prevented women from serving in infantry, armor or special operation units whose job was to engage in front line combat. The move knocks down another societal barrier after the controversial "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was repealed in 2011 allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military. Women have made up about 2 percent of the casualties from wars in Iraq and Afghanistan where there are few clearly defined front lines. Officials at the Pentagon will make the repeal official later Thursday.